Justin Heinonen and Jeremy Wilson, 2012

Product counterfeiting represents a range of criminal activities associated with intellectual property rights infringement of material goods. Virtually, any product, from pharmaceuticals and food to auto parts and electronics, can be counterfeited. Although the precise extent of product counterfeiting is not known, by most accounts the problem is substantially large and growing, and affects many, including consumers, industry, and governments. Despite the scope and scale of the problem, to date there are few empirical examinations of product counterfeiting. To address this gap and help policymakers better understand and respond to this problem, this article systematically examines the nature of product counterfeiting incidents related to Michigan as evident in the open-source literature. We develop initial evidence-based policy lessons to generate discussion about this crime and highlight directions for future research.

This article was published in International Journal of Comparative and Applied Criminal Justice. Subscription may be required to view publication. 

2012 Copyright Michigan State University Board of Trustees.

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